Overheated journal box detecting system



Jan. 7, 1964 R. N. HALSTED OVERHEATED JOURNAL BOX DETECTING SYSTEM FiledSept. 15', 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet, 1

United States Patent Ofifice 3,117 ,361 Patented Jan. 7, 1964 3,117,301OVERHEATED JOURNAL BGX DETECTHNG SYSTEM Robert N. Halsted, 7546 Byron,Clayton, Mo. Filed Sept. 15, 1961, Ser. No. 138,446 6 Claims. (Cl.349-47) This invention relates to a hot journal box alarm system, andmore particularly to a system for giving an alarm when a journal boxbecomes overheated and for giving a visible indication of the particularcar having the hot journal box.

Among the several objects of this invention may be noted the provisionof a system for detecting and signaling a railroad car overheatedjournal box, so that this dangerous condition may be quickly located andrectified; the provision of such a system by which a signal is given inthe engine of the train when a journal box becomes overheated; theprovision of a signaling system of the class described which may beconveniently checked to make sure that it is working properly at anytime; and the provision of such a system which is relatively simple inconstruction and eifective in operation. Other objects and features willbe in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the constructions hereinafterdescribed, the scope of the invention being indicated in the followingclaims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which one of various possibleembodiments of the invention is illustrated,

FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of the overheated journal boxdetecting and signaling system of this invention applied to an engine,an intermediate car, and the last car or caboose of a train;

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the portion of a system of thisinvention as installed on a typical car and interconnected to the systemcomponents located in the engine;

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a visual signaling means of the system;and

FIG. 4 is an end view of the visual signaling means shown in FIG. 3.

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding partsthroughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring to FIG. 1, a system for detecting and signalin an overheatedjournal box in a train is shown applied to an engine generally indicatedat 1, an intermediate car generally indicated at 3 and a caboosegenerally indicated at 5.

An electric power source 7, such as a generator, for example, providesthe electric power for the system. A first conductor 9 is connected toone terminal 11 of the power source 7 and passes to the end of the trainthrough the cars thereof and connectors 13 between each car. Similarly,another conductor 15 is connected from a second terminal 17 of the powersource 7 to the end of the train through the connectors 13. One terminal19 of an alarm bell 21 is connected to the terminal 17 of the powersource by a wire 23. A second terminal 25 of bell 21 is connected to aconductor 27 by a wire 29. A wire 31 connects one terminal 33 of asignal lamp 35 to wire 23 and another wire 37 connects a second terminal39 of lamp 355 to conductor 27, which extends back to the end of thetrain through connectors 13 and cars 3. Thus the three wires 9, 15 and27 constitute a segmented three conductor electrical cable, each sectionof which is interconnected to adjoining segments by connectors 13. Theseconnectors preferably consist of two identical mating connectorcomponents, one at each end of each car.

In the caboose a circuit light 41 is connected across wires 9 and 15 bywires 43 and 45. Circuit light 41 remains lighted as long as a completecircuit is made from the engine to the last car through conductors 9 and15, thereby indicating circuit continuity. A switch 47 is connectedacross conductors 9 and 27 by means of wires 49 and 51. Switch 47 isprovided to check the circuit through conductors 9 and 27, signal lamp35 and alarm bell 21. Switch 47 is normally kept open, but may be closedat any time, for example, before a run is initiated, to make sure thatthe signal lamp and alarm bell are working properly.

Located in heat-transfer relation to each journal box 53 of each car ofthe train is a thermally responsive switching device 55. These devicesmay be adjusted to be actuated at a desired temperature. This switch 55is preferably of the single-throw double-pole type having threeterminals 57, 59 and 61 connected respectively to a switch arm 53 andtwo contacts 619 and 62 and adapted to be electrically interconnectedupon its associated jourrial box overheating. A thermally responsiveactuator 64, such as a bellows actuator, is mechanically linked toswitch arm 53. Below a predetermined temperature which is established asthe maximum safe operating temperature of the journal, the bellows 64holds the switch arm 58 out of contact with contacts 69 and 62. When thejournal is heated to the predetermined temperature, bellows 64 expandsto move the switch arm 58 into contact with the contacts 61) and 62,thereby interconnecting terminals 57, 55 and 61. As is known, railroadwheels are generally provided in groups of four, commonly referred to astrucks, two wheels being on each side of the car. A wire A connectsterminal 57 of the thermally responsive switch 55 adjacent each journalbox on one side of the car to the terminal 57 of the switch 515 near theadjacent journal box on the same side of the car. A wire B connects theterminal 59 of one of the thermally responsive switches 55 to terminal59 of the adjacent switch 55. A wire C connects the other terminal 61 ofeach switch 55 to the other terminal 61 of the adjacent switch 55.

A wire 63 connects conductor 9 with wires A and a wire 65 connects wiresC with wire 27. Wires B are connected to wire 15 by wires 67, visualsignaling devices 69 and wire 71). A lead 72 connects the wires 67 on0pposites of each car together.

' Signaling devices 6) each comprise an electromagnetic device generallyindicated at 71, a signal generally indi-. cated at 73 and a normallyclosed switch 75. Electromagnetic device 71 comprises a solenoid 77having a coil 79, and a plunger 81 biased away from the coil 79 by aspring 8-2; (see FIG. 3). Each wire 6-7 is connected to one contact ofnormally closed switch 75, i.e., one terminal of the signaling device69, and coil 79 is connected to the other contact of switch 75. Wire 79connects a second terminal of the signaling device to wire 15. Signal 73comprises an arm 83 pivotally attached at 85 to the railroad car. A flag57, which is preferably provided with a luminous coatnig, is attached tothe other end of arm 53. Arm 83 is mounted for pivotal movement betweena retracted position wherein the flag 87 is up, to a signaling positionwhere the flag 87 is down. The retracted position of arm 83 is such thatit is continuously biased downwardly by gravity. Located in the path ofthe arm 83 is a button 89 adapted to open the normally closed contactsof switch when pushed downwardly. It will thus be seen that arm 8-3 willcause the switch 75 to be opened when the arm falls to its signalingposition. However, arm 83 is normally held from :falling by the plunger83 of solenoid 77, which plunger extends into the path and blocks themovement of the arm 83 when the solenoid is deenergized. Uponenergization of the solenoid 77 plunger 81 is withdrawn into coil 79 andthe arm 83 is free to drop downwardly thereby opening switch 75 anddeenergizing the solenoid. It will be seen that solenoids 77 are onlymomentarily energized due to the opening of switches 75. Thus thesolenoids may be of a very inexpensive type which would overheat andbecome damaged if allowed to be energized for more than a few seconds.It will be understood that by providing solenoids adapted to carrycurrent for a longer period, switches 75 could be eliminated.

Assuming any one of the journal boxes on car 3 becomes overheated, theoperation of the system is as follows:

The normally open thermally responsive switch device 55 adjacent theparticular overheated journal box will close. Current will then flowthrough conductor 9 and wires 63, A, the switch 56, wires C, 65, 27, 2-9and alarm bell 21, wire 37, signal lamp 35, and wire 31, and back to thepower source through wire 23. Thus a visual and audible signal is givento the engineer in the engine that one of the journal boxes isoverheated. Current also flows through wires 9, 63, switch 55, wires B,67, normally closed switch 75 and coil '79 of each of the two parallelconnected (by lead 72) signaling devices 69 in the particular car havingthe overheated journal box, wire 7% and back to the power source throughwire 15. Coils '79 of these two devices 69 on car 3 are therebysimultaneously energized and withdraw the respective plungers 81, thusallowing arms 83 to drop downwardly from their retracted position totheir signaling position. When each arm 83 reaches its signalingposition, button 89 is depressed to open the normally closed contacts ofthe respective switch 75. This action deenergizes the circuits of therespective solenoids. Thus both of the fiags 87 on the particular carwill be dropped down to a horizontal position so that they can bereadily seen by members of the train crew from either side of the train,thereby indicating the car in which the overheated journal box islocated. The signal lamp 35 and alarm bell 21 will remain energized onlyso long as the thermally responsive switch 55 remains closed, but theflags 37 will remain in their lower signaling position once they havebeen actuated. The signals 73 may be manually reset by pushing theplungers 81 back into the respective coils 79 and pivoting arms 33 backto their retracted position, then allowing plungers 81 to return totheir deenergized position.

It will thus be seen that the overheated journal box detecting andsignaling system of this invention provides a novel means of signalingthat one of the journal boxes on the train is overheated and alsoprovides a means by which the car having the hot journal box can bequickly located by the train crew.

While an alarm bell 21 and a signal lamp 35 are shown in this system, itis to be understood that other types of electrically operated devicesmay be used without departing from the spirit of this invention.

This system for detecting and signaling overheated journal boxes, asopposed to the type which automatically sets the brakes upon overheatingof a journal box, permits the engineer to retain complete control of thetrain and thus bring it to a slow stop upon detection of an overheatedjournal box.

In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of theinvention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.

As various changes could be made in the above constructions withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention, it is intended that allmatter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanyingdrawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limitingsense.

What is claimed is:

l. A system for detecting and signaling overheated railroad car journalboxes in a train comprising a plurality of thermally responsiveelectrical switching devices each of which is positioned in heattransfer relationship with a diiierent journfl box, each of said switmngdevices having three terminals which are electrically opencircuited in afirst condition when the temperature of its associated journal box isbelow a predetermined temperature and which terminals are electricallycommonly connected in a second condition when the temperattu'e of itsassociated journal box increases above said predetermined temperature, afirst signal means having two electrical terminals and located at oneend of the train, at least one second signal means located on each carand having two electrical terminals, each of said second signal meansincluding an electrically operated latching means and an indicatormovable between a retracted position and a signaling position md biasedtoward said signaling position, said latching means adapted when thesecond signal means is deenelrgized to retain said indicator in aretracted position and when said second signal means is energized torelease said indicator, a source of electrical power for said first andsecond signal means and having two electrical terminals, a firstelectrical conductor commonly (interconnecting one terminal of saidpower source to one terminal of each of said switching devices, a secondelectrical conductor commonly interconnecting the second terminal ofeach of said switching devices to one terminal of said first signalmeans, a third electrical conductor commonly connecting the other powersource terminal to the other terminal of said first signal means and toone terminal of each of said second signal means, said other terminal ofsaid second signal means in each car being respectively commonlyconnected to the third terminals of each of said switching devicesmounted on said car, whereby upon any journal box in any car in saidtrain becoming overheated the associated switching means is actuated toits second condition thereby to energize said first signal means and thelatching means of the second signal means on the panticular car havingthe overheated journal box is energized to release the indicator.

2. A system for detecting and signaling overheated railroad car journalboxes in a train as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of saidelectrically operated latching means comprises a solenoid having a coilsecured to a railroad car and a plunger movable within said coil,whereby when the solenoid is .deenergized said plunger extends into thepath of the movement of said indicator to prevent movement thereof fromretracted to signaling position and when the solenoid is energized saidplunger is drawn into the coil and out of the path of the movement ofsaid indicator to permit movement thereof from retracted position tosignaling position.

3. A system for detecting and signaling overheated railroad car journalboxes in a train as set forth in claim 2 wherein each indicatorcomprises an arm pivotably attached at one end thereof to a railroad carand having a flag attached to the other end, said arm beinggravitybiased toward signaling position.

4. A system for detecting and signaling overheated railroad car journalboxes in a train as set forth in claim 3 which further includes anormally closed switch connected in the circuit between the commonlyconnected third terminals of each of the switching devices on one carand the other terminal of the second signal means mounted on therespective oar, said arm of each second signaling means when moved tosignaling position being adapted to open the normally closed switchconnected to the second signaling means thereby deenergizing saidsolenoid of said respective latching means.

5. A system for detecting and signaling overheated railroad car journalboxes in a train as set forth in claim 1 which includes two secondsignal means on each car of the train, one of said second signal meanson each car being visible from one side of the car and the other secondsignal means on each car being visible from the other side of the car.

6. A system for detecting and signaling overheated railroad car journalboxes in a train as set forth in claim 5 wherein each conductorcomprises a plurality of sections, each section being interconnected tothe adjoining sections between the cars of the train, including meansfor checking the system to determine if all of the sections of theconductors are properly connected together comprising a signal lamplocated at the other end of the train and connected between said firstand third conductors whereby said lamp is energized if the first andthird conduotors are properly connected to the power source and throughthe train, and a manually operable normally open switch located at saidother end of the train adapted to electrically interconnect said firstand second conductors whereby said first signal means may be energizedupon closing of the manually operated normally open switch.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,420,969 Newell May 20, 1947 2,478,000 Miller An 2,, 1949 2,560,753\Ne'inberg July ;17, 1951 2,880,405 Lerman Mar. 31, 1959

1. A SYSTEM FOR DETECTING AND SIGNALING OVERHEATED RAILROAD CAR JOURNALBOXES IN A TRAIN COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF THERMALLY RESPONSIVEELECTRICAL SWITCHING DEVICES EACH OF WHICH IS POSITIONED IN HEATTRANSFER RELATIONSHIP WITH A DIFFERENT JOURNAL BOX, EACH OF SAIDSWITCHING DEVICES HAVING THREE TERMINALS WHICH ARE ELECTRICALLYOPEN-CIRCUITED IN A FIRST CONDITION WHEN THE TEMPERATURE OF ITSASSOCIATED JOURNAL BOX IS BELOW A PREDETERMINED TEMPERATURE AND WHICHTERMINALS ARE ELECTRICALLY COMMONLY CONNECTED IN A SECOND CONDITION WHENTHE TEMPERATURE OF ITS ASSOCIATED JOURNAL BOX INCREASES ABOVE SAIDPREDETERMINED TEMPERATURE, A FIRST SIGNAL MEANS HAVING TWO ELECTRICALTERMINALS AND LOCATED AT ONE END OF THE TRAIN, AT LEAST ONE SECONDSIGNAL MEANS LOCATED ON EACH CAR AND HAVING TWO ELECTRICAL TERMINALS,EACH OF SAID SECOND SIGNAL MEANS INCLUDING AN ELECTRICALLY OPERATEDLATCHING MEANS AND AN INDICATOR MOVABLE BETWEEN A RETRACTED POSITION ANDA SIGNALING POSITION AND BIASED TOWARD SAID SIGNALING POSITION, SAIDLATCHING MEANS ADAPTED WHEN THE SECOND SIGNAL MEANS IS DEENERGIZED TORETAIN SAID INDICATOR IN A RETRACTED POSITION AND WHEN SAID SECONDSIGNAL MEANS IS ENERGIZED TO RELEASE SAID INDICATOR, A SOURCE OFELECTRICAL POWER FOR SAID FIRST AND SECOND SIGNAL MEANS AND HAVING TWOELECTRICAL TERMINALS, A FIRST ELECTRICAL CONDUCTOR COMMONLYINTERCONNECTING ONE TERMINAL OF SAID POWER SOURCE TO ONE TERMINAL OFEACH OF SAID SWITCHING DEVICES, A SECOND ELECTRICAL CONDUCTOR COMMONLYINTERCONNECTING THE SECOND TERMINAL OF EACH OF SAID SWITCHING DEVICES TOONE TERMINAL OF SAID FIRST SIGNAL MEANS, A THIRD ELECTRICAL CONDUCTORCOMMONLY CONNECTING THE OTHER POWER SOURCE TERMINAL TO THE OTHERTERMINAL OF SAID FIRST SIGNAL MEANS AND TO ONE TERMINAL OF EACH OF SAIDSECOND SIGNAL MEANS, SAID OTHER TERMINAL OF SAID SECOND SIGNAL MEANS INEACH CAR BEING RESPECTIVELY COMMONLY CONNECTED TO THE THIRD TERMINALS OFEACH OF SAID SWITCHING DEVICES MOUNTED ON SAID CAR, WHEREBY UPON ANYJOURNAL BOX IN ANY CAR IN SAID TRAIN BECOMING OVERHEATED THE ASSOCIATEDSWITCHING MEANS IS ACTUATED TO ITS SECOND CONDITION THEREBY TO ENERGIZESAID FIRST SIGNAL MEANS AND THE LATCHING MEANS OF THE SECOND SIGNALMEANS ON THE PARTICULAR CAR HAVING THE OVERHEATED JOURNAL BOX ISENERGIZED TO RELEASE THE INDICATOR.